Snow Angels and Sandcasltes
by crookedview
Summary: The island is supposed to be tropical, but we all know it's not an ordinary island. A snowstorm suddenly turns everyone's lives upside down, and only intensifies when Kate disappears. Rated T for some angst!


**This is an idea I've been toying with for a while. The next chapter picks up the plot a bit more. Review and I'll continue! **

**Chapter 1 – Chance of Precipitation**

It started the day before with a cool breeze that floated over the beach, raising goosebumps on bare arms and caused a prickling at the back of the neck. It only intensified as time went on, and by nightfall, the temperature had dropped thirty degrees.

"I thought this was a _tropical_ island." Sawyer growled as he passed by Jack. "If we're stuck here, I'd rather feel like I was on a merry little Hawaii vacation."

Jack nodded, looking up at the dark sky, heavy with clouds. "It's pretty weird." He conceded.

"I miss Arzt. _He'd _be able to give us the weather forecast." Sawyer whined, hearing Jack chuckle as he retreated to his tent for the night.

In all seriousness, though, this really did piss Sawyer off. It was, what? Fifty-five degrees right now? Didn't a place with palm trees and coconuts have an obligation of being hot? It had been between eighty and ninety degrees since they'd been here; there shouldn't be some random change how. Hell, he only had one little blanket. He needed some body warmth, and he saw it coming towards him.

"Hey, Freckles, it's looking like a chilly night. Wanna get cozy?"

Kate shook her head, her face stony and fatigued. "Not tonight, James."

"How's a man supposed to save himself from freezing to death?"

She didn't crack a smile. In fact, up close, she looked almost sick. She raked her fingers through her flyaway hair and crossed her arms. "I'm sleeping in my own tent tonight. If you want to save yourself, grab any girl on the beach. " She snapped and started to walk away.

"Ouch. Who pissed on your cornflakes, sweetheart?" He retorted.

He saw her hesitate, then keep trudging along the sand. "I'm just tired." He heard her mutter.

Sawyer smirked. It must be _someone's_ time of the month.

* * *

Kate walked half a mile down the beach, where other people didn't litter the ground with their possessions or their fill the air with their snores. She plunked herself down, feeling a cool dampness in the sand that she'd never felt before. She needed a moment before she tried to sleep in which she could just think uninterrupted.

The past couple of days, there'd been no mission to achieve, no imminent danger or monster sighting. So she'd finally gotten a chance to think about Miles' news – she was trapped. She was either forever lost on this island or she was sent packing to prison. She would finally have to atone for what she'd done. Finally face everything she'd been hiding since the night the house blew up. She was terrified.

Lost in her thoughts, Kate didn't feel the temperature drop even more, or her eyelids close, or her head droop to the sand in sleep.

* * *

Jack woke up, according to his watch, at 2:34AM to his own violent shivers. He was huddled under his small woolen blanket, the one he usually kicked off in his hot sleep. Sitting up, he realized how bizarre this was – it was _cold._ Cold air. On a tropical island. He stepped out of his tent and approached the dying fire. He stared down at the glowing wood and exhaled. A puff of air escaped his mouth. He could see his breath! Fully awake now, he tried to comprehend this. His eyes scanned the beach, as if looking for a clue as to why this was happening. Polar bears, fine. But arctic weather?

He almost laughed. _Polar bears, fine._ Such an odd thing had almost become commonplace for him. But clearly the island would never stop surprising him. Where were they that the weather would change so dramatically? He worried about the rest. No one had appropriate clothing or shelter from this kind of climate; what if it stayed this cold? They could always go to the caves, conserve body heat, start up more fires…

"I could hear your thoughts whirring from miles away. You already thinking up to solutions to this cold spell we're having, Jack?"

Jack whirled around. He smiled. "Rose. What are you doing up?"

The kindly woman sat down in front of the fire and stirred it up with a stick. "I can't sleep like this. Bernard's teeth are chattering."

Jack sat down too and tilted his head up to the sky. Something small and frozen brushed his cheek. Then another.

"I can't believe it."

Rose leaned forward. "What its it?"

"It's… it's _snowing._"

* * *

Sawyer was mad as hell. He hated the caves. He hated the freaky weather. But most of all, he hated following Jack-ass' orders. But what could he do? He'd woken up to _snow_ for Christ's sake. Shivering, he'd open the flap to his tent to be bewildered by the sight of a white sprinkling over the sand.

If he hadn't followed Kate back to the beach instead of staying with Locke, he'd march right down to where Ben was locked up and get some answers. He'd poke Ben's buggy eyes out until he understood what the hell was going on.

All over the beach, people were scurrying around, collecting their belongings and wrapping up any kind of blanket or tarp to bring with them to the caves. Sawyer ripped his tarp off his tent savagely. It would feel real good to kick a puppy right now.


End file.
